


Protecting the safe space

by Sullysmumbles



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Battle against homophobia, Eventual Smut, Homophobia, Less supportive parents, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Queer Character, Transgender Harvey, queer club, supportive parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 03:39:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17841752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sullysmumbles/pseuds/Sullysmumbles
Summary: Robin and Demetrius have created a safe space for the queer youth of the Valley. When someone starts tagging homophobic attacks on walls and trees, it's another drama no one really needed.This story features : a lot of bi/gay bachelor(ettes), Robin and Demetrius as supportive BUT intrusive parents for their little Sebby, and probably some smut at some point. Also, Harvey and Sandy are trans.





	Protecting the safe space

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not hesitate to point out any eventual grammar mistake. English is not my first language and I have still a lot of progress to do !

It had first happened on a rare, sunny day of Winter. It was Robin who had discovered the tag, poorly written with green paint on a pine while coming back from visiting Leah :

_BURN FAGS_

She was so shocked at first, she didn’t even try to erase it or to put the tree down ; She walked home, hand in her pocket, the eyes fixed on her moonboots. Her thoughts went first to her Little Sebby, then to the rest of the “gang” –- when she arrived home, even before greeting her husband, she made a few phone calls. A meeting was set, the day after, at the usual place, at seven. When Demetrius asked what was wrong, eyebrows furrowed in worry, she faced him with a determined look, and simply said “Honey, we have a homophobic asshole in our town.”

 

They all gathered by the Wizard's Tower, their figures made funny by the light of their flashlight. But this evening, no one laughed. They were all there (except for sebastian, who never ever came, at the great dismay of his parents) and were unequally worried about the situation. Emily was probably the most relaxed of all, and was trying to cheer Abigail up by drawing little characters fighting in the snow, next to the edge of the tarpaulin on which they were sat -- but the young girl was refusing to look at her silly drawings. Elliott and Harvey weren't talking, as they hardly had anything to say to each other, whatever the situation was. Eventually, Harvey muttered :

"Do Robin and Demetrius actually KNOW about you and Sebastian ?

\- Harvey, Harvey. I won't ever tell them anything unless he allows me to, how could you think I'd betray my lover this way ?

\- I don't know, how could you think about dating someone almost ten years younger than you behind their parents' back ?

\- We have an healthy relationship, Harvey.

\- Yes, that's probably why he stopped smoking when you two started seeing each other -- oh, wait, now that I recall, that is actually when he started."

They shut it, not only because Emily was starting to look at them with insistence, but also because Robin and Demetrius joined them, walking under several layers of clothing.

"Good evening, Robin greeted. You probably know why I asked dor a meeting tonight. I think we should try to find who has done this. Pelican Town isn't a large city, we all know each other here. It cannot be someone from outside as the last celebrations involving foreigners took place weeks ago, and ...

\- And I go through this forest everyday, and I never saw it before, finished Leah, who had just arrived, her breath short. Sorry to be late, guys. Did I miss a lot ?

\- We were starting, said Demetrius. Please, sit somewhere not too wet." 

She sat next to Harvey and listened.

"As Leah justly said, resumed Robin, we are a lot of people going through this forest at least once a day. It has happened last night. It can't be else."

There was a little silence, before Leah spoke out.

"I hate to formulate it that way but ... Has anyone any idea of who it could be ?

\- Let's be reasonable, said Elliott. It is more likely to be someone who lives very close to the woods.

\- Marnie ? Impossible, rejected Abigail. She's the sweetest !

\- Actually, I was thinking about Shane."

They thought for a while, silent. Around them, a few night birds were minding their own business. Though the sky was clear of any cloud, it was freezing. Little noises was coming from the inside of the Tower, but no one worried about it. The Wizard never did anything to make them go, even though he was well aware of these little meetings now and then.

"He can be ... Kind of an asshole, sometimes, conceded Emily.

\- Oh, please, protested Leah. Being alcoholic, depressed and lonely doesn't make you homophobic. And why would he start now ? He has been living in the Valley for a while now. And if he can accept Marnie's condition as celibate, middle aged-adult who occasionally bangs the Mayor, why would he tag homophobic slurs ?

\- There are other ways to put Marnie's marital situation into words, mumbled Demetrius, but I get the idea. Still, I wouldn't eliminate Shane from the list of suspects. Alcohol can make you do unbelievable things."

Harvey squinted at Elliott, but said nothing.

"Anyone else ?

\- I honestly don't know. Do we know anyone who is ... A little over the edge ? asked Robin."

No one answered. She sighed and shuddered under her coat.

"Well, we should go home. Maybe it is a one time thing. Leah will put that tree down anyway --

\- It's already done, Ma'am.

\- Well, Leah has put that tree down. Maybe it won't happen again. If it does, we will go over our hypothesis once again and try to find the culprit, but let's not turn it into a witch hunt, yes ? We made this club to supply a safe space. I don't want us to use it to chase after ghosts or to have unpleasant debates. Let's just hope it won't happen again ... We shouldn't worry too much. Let's call it a night. See you tomorrow, folks."

They all got up and made their way home. Aside the married couple, only Emily and Abigail walked together. They weren't that close outside of the little club, but they enjoyed each other's company on times like these. After a few minutes, Emily broke the silence and asked :

"Did you out yourself to your parents ? You told me you wanted to.

\- No, not yet."

After a little silence, she added :

"I'm waiting for the right time.

\- Spoiler alert : there's never a "right time." It's a myth created by novels to create narrative twists.

\- Elliott, stop stealing Emily's body.

\- No, but seriously, you should tell them. Your mom seems super chill !

\- She hosts female-only aerobic afternoons.

\- First, they're cool, second, sometimes Harvey joins us -- and if you say it's different because it's Harvey, it's pretty transphobic. 

\- It's not-- I'm just saying I understand girls who say they're more comfortable being less clothed around a trans guy than around a cis guy.

\- That's not the point anyway. Tell your parents ! Maybe they will stop trying to marry you to Sebastian.

\- Sam is trying harder than them, I think.

\- Ta-ta. You're the one who said you wanted to tell your parents before Sam.

\- Yeah ... That's not as easy for me that it is for you."

They stopped walking once at Emily's door.

"That will be very easy for you too when you'll be in a stable relationship, young girl. But you need to have one with your parents as well. Right ?

\- Right ... Good night, Em'."

Abigail forced herself to wait until Emily had closed the door before she rolled her eyes. Not everyone was lucky enough to grow up in a family of hippies.

 

 

"Please go warm up the bed, would ya ? I'd like to talk to Sebastian before going to bed.

\- Aren't you the one who said we shouldn't worry too much ?

\- I know, I know."

Robin kissed her husband and, instead of following him inside their home, wandered a bit until she found her oldest son staring at the still mountain Lake. Though he didn't seem to be cold, she couldn't help but notice he wasn't wearing clothing that warm. "Sebby," she soflty called. He turned to face her, his face unexpressive as always, and did a poor attempt at hiding his cigarette by crushing it in his palm. His bottom lips twitched in pain as the ashes burnt his skin, but Robin tried to look as she had not seen that.

"Sebby, I just wanted to tell you to be careful ...

\- I know, Mom.

\- I don't want anything bad to happen to you, ok ?

\- Yes, Mom.

\- Why didn't you come ?"

He sighed.

"I'm not comfortable with people, Mom. I'm better off by myself.

\- But Abi's attending. Isn't she your best friend ?

\- Mom ...

\- Alright, alright. I'll let you be. Just be careful. Try to get enough sleep."

She left, and he watched her walking away, feeling nothing but some kind of tiredness. And also, the cold. It was freezing. It was a wonder the lake had not turned into ice yet. Slowly, he opened his burnt hand and swiped his thigh to ease the pain -- in vain. He will have to put water on it so it won't let a mark. He was about to go when his phone chimed. He briefly hoped for a text from Elliott, but no. It was only a low battery alert. It was already late, and he wanted to get up early the next day to practice, so he walked to his parent's home and went to sleep.


End file.
